25 Things Writers Should Stop Doing

I read this cool article last week — “30 Things To Stop Doing To Yourself” — and I thought, hey, heeeey, that’s interesting. Writers might could use their own version of that. So, I started to cobble one together. And, of course, as most of these writing-related posts become, it ended up that for the most part I’m sitting here in the blog yelling at myself first and foremost. That is, then, how you should read this: me, yelling at me. If you take away something from it, though? Then go forth and kick your writing year in the teeth. Onto the list. 1. Right here is your story. 2. Momentum is everything. 3. You have a voice. 4. Worry is some useless shit. 5. The rise of self-publishing has seen a comparative surge forward in quantity. 6. I said “stop hurrying,” not “stand still and fall asleep.” 7. It’s not going to get any easier, and why should it? 8. 9. The mind is the writer’s best weapon. 10. 11. 12. Writers are often ashamed at who they are and what they do. 13. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 14.

25 Things Writers Should Know About Creating Mystery1. Your Story Must Be An Incomplete Equation A complete equation is 4 + 5 = 9. It’s simple. Clean.Writing Challenge GeneratorChallenges The story is set during a holiday ceremony. The story takes place ten years into the future.The 3 Essential Elements to Creating a Believable Romance - C. S. LakinC.S. Lakin runs an amazing blog called Live Write Thrive – haven’t been there yet? Take a peek around, and don’t forget to check out her new book 5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing! Boy meets girl.

5 Ways to Get Rid of Your Damn Empty ModifiersI discussed the need to get rid of empty emphatics when I gave you 8 words to seek and destroy in your writing, but just saying that you should get rid of a thing doesn't say much about the right way to do so. Today I'm going to show you a few of my favorite ways to get rid of your empty modifiers. What exactly is an empty modifier?Setting: Using Scene To Enrich Your WritingIn both fiction and nonfiction, the setting is the general background against which your story takes place—the physical location and time period, both of which influence your characters and plot. So how can a creative writer use setting and scenery to further offset, augment, or reflect the action of the plot? Although we’re going to be exploring this issue in terms of fiction, these techniques work for nonfiction as well.

Twenty rules for writing detective stories (1928) by S.S. Van DineTHE DETECTIVE story is a kind of intellectual game. It is more — it is a sporting event. And for the writing of detective stories there are very definite laws — unwritten, perhaps, but none the less binding; and every respectable and self-respecting concocter of literary mysteries lives up to them. Herewith, then, is a sort Credo, based partly on the practice of all the great writers of detective stories, and partly on the promptings of the honest author's inner conscience. To wit: 1.6 Ways to Hook Your ReadersAlthough I consider myself an avid reader, I must admit I have a short attention span when it comes to getting into books. If you fail to grab my attention in the first few lines, I start spacing out. Most readers are like me.

The Adverb Is Not Your Friend: Stephen King on Simplicity of Styleby Maria Popova “I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops.” “Employ a simple and straightforward style,” Mark Twain instructed in the 18th of his 18 famous literary admonitions. And what greater enemy of simplicity and straightforwardness than the adverb? Or so argues Stephen King in On Writing: A Memoir on the Craft (public library), one of 9 essential books to help you write better. Though he may have used a handful of well-placed adverbs in his recent eloquent case for gun control, King embarks upon a forceful crusade against this malignant part of speech:

Tips for writing book reviewsLuisa Plaja Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books you've read. Whether you've loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. If you're stuck on what to say in a review, it can help to imagine you're talking to someone who's asking you whether they should read the book. Author Luisa Playa gives her top tips for writing reviews: 1) Start with a couple of sentences describing what the book is about

Nerd ParadisePosted on: 10 Cado 7:0 - 5.27.29 So you've procrastinated again. You told yourself you wouldn't do this 2 months ago when your professor assigned you this. But you procrastinated anyway. Shame on you. It's due in a few hours.DPK: FAQsPrioritize. At different stages of my career, I have gone to conferences for different reasons. There are three major areas to consider.